


Surrogate, watch the stars

by Geotr_2



Series: Surrogate [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Big Brother Zuko (Avatar), Child Abuse, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Parent/Child Incest, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Zuko (Avatar)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:41:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27756298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geotr_2/pseuds/Geotr_2
Summary: Zuko knows how Ozai treated Ursa.  After her disappearance, he'll do whatever is necessary to keep it from happening to Azula.
Relationships: Azula & Ozai (Avatar), Azula/Ozai (Avatar), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai/Ursa (Avatar), Ozai/Zuko (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Surrogate [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037859
Comments: 7
Kudos: 105





	Surrogate, watch the stars

**Author's Note:**

> I've read some fanfics recently of people who were like "This is just me imprinting onto these characters" and, yeah, that's what this is. Just me wielding that trauma like a sword. *waves knife at air*
> 
> Obviously, *trigger warning*. I mean, read the tags.
> 
> BTW, most relationship tags are only implied.
> 
> Rape/Non-Con warning is used just to be safe.

_Azula always lies.Azula always lies.It doesn't matter.She doesn't deserve it._

Zuko struggled with the ties on his robe.As sure as he was, he couldn't prevent his body from shaking.He took a breath and let the fear run through him.He couldn't be afraid in front of his father.Best to feel the worst of it alone.Zuko took his time dressing himself in spite of what his suspicion was.

Peeking from his room to his father's down the hall, he found light streaming into the hall from under the doors.He snuck quietly towards the room.Carefully pressing his ear to the door, sure enough, he heard both his father's and Azula's voices.Zuko strained to hear what they were saying.He couldn't make it out, but something about his father's tone made his stomach turn.He was about to turn around and go back to his room, but he couldn't ignore a sudden gasp from his sister.Zuko swallowed his dread and knocked.

"Dad?" Zuko called through the door.His heart skipped a beat, and he flinched when the door opened.

"Zuko," Ozai frowned, "What do you want at this hour?"

He floundered, unsure of what to say."I- well, I couldn't sleep, and I just peeked out my room and saw you were awake, so I thought maybe if you weren't busy..."Zuko realized a plea for his father to put him to bed was stupid."I could help you with something?"

"Oh?"Ozai seemed to think it over."And what is that?"

"I don't know, sir - just - anything, I guess."

"You guess? Boy, show some confidence!"

"Yes, I would love to help you with whatever you're doing."

"Really?"

"Yes, sir."

"Perfect, then." Ozai's predatory grin made Zuko's throat tighten."Go back to your room," he added slowly after turning away.

Zuko swallowed thickly when the door was shut, and he obeyed.He was both curious and frightened.There was no going back on whatever he just agreed to.When his father appeared in his doorway, he knew he had made a mistake.He told himself it wasn't a mistake.He told himself every minute his father was here, well, he wasn't there.He told himself that until he didn't know what to tell himself.And he just ended up staring out the window at the stars in the night sky.He thought of how free they were - untethered to the earth.He thought maybe that's what the afterlife was - that all the souls became stars watching from the sky.He hoped he became a star one day.

He hoped that as he lay beneath his father.He hoped that as his body went limp and his mind crawled within himself and shut out the world.He didn't remember much of it the next day.But he did remember the door slamming.He remembered rolling off the bed onto the floor.He remembered dragging himself to the window.He remembered staring up at the stars.He remembered his promise.Because as he had stared out the window that night, he thought more on the stars.He thought of ways he could be free like them without dying.Zuko didn't want to die.Not when he was as young as he was.Maybe if he could run fast enough, or sneak far enough, he could get away. 

Zuko thought of his mother.He envied her.He wondered if she was a star, and if she could see him from that far away.He felt angry.But he realized he wasn't angry at her.He was just angry.Angry that she left a role to fill.Angry that he cared enough to fill it.Tears slipped out of his eyes.He hung his head and thought of his little sister in the other room.What would become of her?What might happen to her if she was left all alone in this palace with their father? 

Zuko had made a decision.He looked up at the stars and made the decision to stay.To protect his sister.To protect Azula. And that's what he did every night until he was 13 years old.He protected her.Because every minute their father was here, he wasn't there.And he told himself that.And he believed that.He believed it when his father praised Azula but scolded him.He believed it when his father burned his face and Azula cheered.He believed it all the way up until he was banished without a second thought.

Then he questioned how much his father really needed him.Then he questioned if it had all been for nothing.If his father was going to replace him the very same night.If it would be Azula.And for just a moment, when he was alone on a ship with a bandage over his eye, he hung his head and cried.


End file.
